Bloch, Heinz P.
Heinz P. Bloch resides in Montgomery, Texas. He retired as Exxon Chemical’s Regional Machinery Specialist for the U.S. and has authored or co-written more than 780 publications, among them 23 comprehensive books on practical machinery management, failure analysis, failure avoidance, compressors, steam turbines, pumps, oil mist lubrication and optimized lubrication for industry. Mr. Bloch holds BS and MS degrees (cum laude) in mechanical engineering from the Newark College of Engineering (NCE). He is one of 10 inaugural inductees into NCE’s Hall of Fame, which honors its most distinguished alumni.
Why even first-quartile plants can lose profitability
Benchmarking is not a substitute for a competent reliability professional
HP Reliability: Consider dry gas seals for centrifugal compressors
For over five decades, centrifugal compressors have benefited from mechanical field technology. The early compressors of the 1950s often struggled with cumbersome labyrinth sealing and gas eductor arr..
HP Reliability: Straightening carbon steel shafts
Before attempting to straighten a shaft, try to determine how the bend was produced. If the bend was produced by an inherent stress relieved during the machining operation, during heat proofing, on th..
HP Reliability: Consider casting salvaging methods
Repair-welding process machinery cast components is frequently not possible. Fortunately, however, there are salvaging methods that do not involve welding: Controlled-atmosphere furnace brazing ..
HP Reliability: Substantive change needed
"When reform becomes the status quo," says Frederick M. Hess, executive editor of Education Next and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, "then you'll encounter symbolic activity rat..
HP Reliability: Destructive force of water hammer
Transient forces such as water hammer from sudden valve closure can produce large pressure spikes in the piping system. This can cause severe damage to the piping and any attached equipment, such as p..
HP Reliability: Reassess your pump startup and shutdown procedures
It may sound far-fetched, but the ramifications of incorrect pump startup and shutdown procedures have recently been debated in reliability-related litigation in US courts. At issue was performance of..
HP Reliability: Confused about reliability-centered maintenance?
Not long ago, I received a letter from Brazil. ?Considering that I am a little bit confused about what you mean by terms such as wear-out, progressive deterioration, wear-out failures, life-shortening..
HP Reliability: Setting up your spare parts program
A very competent reliability professional recently sent us an interesting note on the topic of spare parts. He's not alone in explaining that his company continues to have issues with its spare parts ..
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